Deputy undergoing surgery after being shot near Long Beach

A traffic stop by sheriffs deputies on the Long Beach-Compton border resulted in an exchange of gunfire that left the suspect dead and a deputy shot in the abdomen Monday morning, authorities said.

Two uniformed Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies approached the suspect, a man in his early 20s who was riding a bicycle along Long Beach Boulevard between Caldwell Street in Compton and 69th Street in Long Beach before 10 a.m. when the encounter led to gunfire.

A short chase ensued, followed by an altercation when the suspect allegedly tried to reach for one of the deputy’s guns, said Deputy Peter Gomez. The deputy and suspect were in a struggle before the suspect was fatally shot, he said.

The suspect was carrying a semi-automatic firearm, which was recovered from the crime scene. It’s unclear whether the suspect’s weapon was visible or concealed, Gomez said.

Why deputies stopped the suspect, as well as details from the incident, are still under investigation, authorities said.

No other persons were involved in the 9:45 a.m. gun battle, said sheriff’s spokesman Deputy Tony Moore.

It is unknown how many bullets were fired, although a witness told Fox11 news that she heard five gunshots.

The names of the deputies and the suspect were not released Monday.

The wounded deputy, who has been with the department since 2007 and is assigned to its Compton Station, was rushed to a local hospital where he underwent surgery around 11 a.m., while the other deputy was medically evaluated and suffered minor injuries, said Nicole Nishida, public information officer for the sheriff’s department.

The deputy, who was stable and conscious going into surgery, is expected to survive, authorities said.

Deputies blocked off Long Beach Boulevard between 69th and Bennett streets throughout the day while they conducted their investigation, detouring motorists.

City News Service contributed to this report.

Advertisement

About the Author

Newspaper reporter with more than a decade of experience in journalism. I cover trade and transportation. Reach the author at karen.robes@langnews.com
or follow Karen on Twitter: karenmeekspt.